Pipe-laying mechanism.



B. H. SANDS. PIPE LAYING MBGHANISM.

Patented J an. 17, 1911 Istrain.,

" will be more full 'onirico Siri-tros rafrnnr oratori.

BYRON HERB/ELL SANDS, OF TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

PIPE-LAYIN G MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. l?. lt.'

Application filed May 2, 1910. Serial No. 558,862.

'the soil without digging a trench and distigurinfr the surface.'

An object of this invention is to provide a device which will be. simple in. construction, inexpensive 4to manufacture, strong, durable, readlly adjusted, and accurate, reliable and positive in its operation.

A. f vrtherobject of this invention is to provide va pipe laying mechanism of the jack type with a point termed to cause a rotation of the pipe, thereby driving the pipe in arectilinear manner.

`These and further objects, together with the construction and combination of parts, described hereinafter and particularly set orth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompany ing drawings forminga part of this specification. i; which similar characters ot refer ence indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in whichv Figure l is a side view in elevation., showing my device adjusted in a trench, in the act oi starting the forcing of a pipe; Fig. 2 is al vertical section on' the line 2-2 of Fig. l; Fig. I-l is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section' of one end ot' the casing. showing the means ol lgripping*r the pipe; llig. 4 is a longitudinal .section through the point; Fig. 5 is a rear cuil view ot' the point; Fig. (i is a. side view in elevation of thtl point; and Fig. T is' a l'roni view of thc point.

lleteirlngv more particularly to the sephratc parts of the device. 1 indicates a base of any suitable material. which is provided with a plurality of bracing,` t'cet 2,' in the nature ot' brackets, secured to the base l in any suitable manner. as by means ofoo'lts These feet 2 are preferably arovided with a vertical leg and an inclino( brace member, so as to forn a strong and rigidgripping member gipable'of standing a considerable Securcdto the base 1- in any well known manner, there is provided a bracket 4, to wlnch 1s pivotally secured a leverv 5, preferably blfurcated so as to extend on either side of a tubular casing 6. The casing 6 is pivotaily secured to the lever 5 in any well known manner, as by means of a pin 7, so as to allow a limited play of the casing relative to the lever.

The casing 6 is preferably provided at each end with an enlargement 8, which is, screwthreadedinternally, to engage a corresponding screw-threadon a tubular nul; 9. There is one of these 'nuts at each end of the casing, forming a guide'for a pipe 10 to be driven into the ground.'

Forfthe purpose 'ofliorming an opening or bore in the 'ground through \\'l1ich#the ,pipelO is to be inserted, there is provided a section of pipel, which is'removably secured to the pipe 10 in any well'known manner, as by a collar112, indicated in dotted lines in .li`ig.'1. This pipe section 1-is provided at its forward end with'a removable point 12.'of considerably larger diameter than the pipe '11 at its rear end, and tapering conically to a sharp point at its front end. As will be seen by reference to F ig. 4. this point 12 is provided with a shank 13, which is adapted. to be inserted inthe pipe 11, and is further secured thereto by means of a flange 14, which is spaced apart from the shank by 'a suilicient distance to allow the material of the pipe section 11 to be insertedbetween the shank and the flange. While the point 12 may be 'of any suitable form, it is preferable to provide it with concave or'onvcx fluting'l, which, as will yhe noted by reference to Figsft and 7, has a slight spiral turn. This spiral fluting gives a certain amountof rotation to the point 12, the section 11 and the pipe 10, thereby tending;r to direct the pipe in an absolutely straight line. L

For the purpose of griliping the section 1l and the pipe 10 and transmitting the motion of the lever 5 to these parts, each of the nuts 9 are provided with pawls 16 and 17. One of these pawls. 16, engages in a slot 18- in the nut. soas to be capable of being adjusted in and out to engage pipes of different diameters, and which. however, is stationary during the operation of the device. The other pawl, 17g-is preferably pivoted on thenut 9 in any well known manner, as by means of a 'pin 19. These pawls 17 are held in engagement with the pipe l0 and the secunderstood when taken in connection with y the above description.

ouainted.

YThe device is inserted in a trench dug at a suitable interval from another trench. The trenches are dug'atthe starting and finishing points of the line along which, the pipe is desired to be inserted. A pipe of theA desired size-is coupled to a pipe section '11, which has secured thereto a point 12 of such a size that it will be somewhat larger than the pip'e to be forced through, so that it will form a larger opening than the pipe, and thus vate little or novfriction in forcing the pipe through the opening. rlhe lever 5 is then reciprocate so that the gripping pawls 16 and 17 force `the point l2 into the ground at each forward stroke of the lever, and permit the casing and lever to travel backward relative tothe pipe and. point, on the rearward stroke. This operation is continued until the pipe has been forced to the other trench, where the point and section can be removed, and the pipe coupled up in the maniiei' desired, 'liile I have shown one embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited tothe specific details thereof, but desire to be protected in various changes, modifications and alterations which I may malte within the scope of the appendedclaini.s.

' I ain aware that it is not broadly new to force a pipe-threugh theI ground by means of a jack, and' lf ain acquainted with the patent to'C. De Lay, 809,910, granted January 9, 1906. However, l believe that the structure of my device, as set forth hereinafter in the claims, embodies features which are new and which afford a device of .a more etiieient character than anyY of such devices with which l ain at the present time ac- Soine of these features are the tubular easing for guiding the pipe section, the gripping ii'icn'iliers iii the form of pawlsl for biting on, and automatically advancing. the pipe section, and-'the f'liited tapering liead'ifor iu'iparting a rotary motion to the pipe section, whereby it is directed in an almost absolutely rectilinear liijie.

llaving thus described my iiiventioii, I

claiin as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentzl. The combination with a base, of a lever 2. The combination with a base, of brac@ ing f eet on said base,la lever pivoted to said Ibase, a casing connected to said lever, a

section adapted to be inserted through said casing, pawls on said casing 'adapted to eng ge said section, and a point connected to said section.

3. The combination with a base, of bracing feet on said base, a lever pivoted to said base, a casing connected to said lever, a sec tion adapted to be inserted through said casing, pawls on said casing adapted to engage said section, and a point connected to said section, said point taperi'nv eonically from the rear to the frontan having a slightly spiral lluting thereon.

4. The combination with a base, of a leverpivotally connected to said base, a tubular casing pivotally connected to said lever,pawls adjustably connected to said casing, a section adapted to be inserted through said casing and engaged by4 Said pawls,`and a pointfor `said section having a greater diameter at a portion thereofv than said section.

5, The combination with a base, of a lever pivotally connected to said base, a ing pivotally connected to Said lever, said casing having a screw-threaded interior, a tubular iiut engaging said screw-threaded interior, and a pawl pivotally connected to said nut and extending within the .interior thereof.

6. The eonil'iination with a base, of a lever pivotally connected to said base, a casing pivotally connected to said lever, said easing haviiig a screw-threaded interior, a tubular nut engaging said screw-threaded interior, a stationary gripping pawl on said init. a gripl'iing pawl pivoted to said nut, said pawls extending into the opening of said nut, and a spring adapted to force said pivoted pawlinto engagement with4 a pipe inserted through said casing. v

7. The combination with a base, of a tubular easing, a' bifurcated lever pivoted to said base :ind extending onl each side of .said easing and being pivotedto said casing. a tubular nut i'eiiiovably secured to eaeli eiid oi said. casing. gripping pawls extending into the interior oiY said nuts, and a section adapted to be engaged by said pawls and adapted to be inserted through said easing. the point of said section having a lslighiljiv spiral tluting. p

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this `:peeiticatii-in in the present-e of pivotally connected to said base, a casing two subscribing witnesses.

BYRON MERRELL SANDS. Witnesses:

C. L. MoltiY, W. lffS'iAiii 

